Security of computers and the data thereon is a growing concern. For example, when a user leaves a computer workstation, they may occasionally lock their computer in various ways, including by activating a screensaver. Upon their return, a password must be entered to continue using the computer. In some cases, this has been made more convenient, such as by allowing a user to activate a screensaver by moving their cursor to a particular location on their screen. However, some affirmative action is still required.
In addition, the growing cost of energy has given new emphasis and focus on energy-saving devices. Consumers can save significant amounts of energy by turning off unneeded appliances, such as lights. However, turning off these appliances requires an affirmative step.
Some efforts have been made at ameliorating these deficiencies. In the case of computers, screensavers may rely on a timer: once the user has been idle for a certain number of minutes, the computer activates the screensaver. In the case of lights, motion sensors and timers have been employed. Using these, if no movement has been detected in a room for certain period of time, the lights will turn off.
While these systems work to an extent, in both cases they simply assume the absence of a user. Consumers cannot rely on having their computer time out if there is sensitive data on them. In the case of the motion sensor and timer system, the same often encounter false positives, which are annoying and distracting for users.
More sophisticated attempts have also been made. For example, the BlueProximity system, an application for Linux, allows a certain amount of control of devices. However, the same employs regular Bluetooth® pairing. A disadvantage is that, once paired, a user cannot use their phone or the computer's Bluetooth® for other purposes. If they attempt to, the connection is dropped, and the computer initiates its screensaver. The system provides a “pause mode,” but this mode must be manually entered each time. In addition, of course, managing multiple devices is generally not allowed. The system cannot generally drop the first connection, so anything else requiring authentication is unable to do so.